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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26014639">It Started Out With a Kiss</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/takemyopenheart/pseuds/takemyopenheart'>takemyopenheart</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Open Heart (Visual Novels)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Humor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:20:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,811</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26014639</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/takemyopenheart/pseuds/takemyopenheart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s time to party! Will Luz be able to get Ethan to let loose for once?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart), Ethan Ramsey/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It Started Out With a Kiss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Come with me, please?" Luz stood in front of the mirror, inspecting that her outfit was just right for a fun-fueled night out. The sparkling earrings Ethan had gifted her for her birthday a few months ago were the perfect finishing touch to her look that consisted of a black and white plaid shirt over a tank top and denim shorts.</p>
<p></p><div>
<p></p><div><p>It was Sienna’s 28th birthday celebration, and everyone was invited out for karaoke night at Donahue’s. The one night Ethan had always made sure to avoid. But now that would be impossible with a girlfriend who lived for this particular sort of so-called entertainment. It was her favorite ‘pastime’ as she put it.</p></div></div><div>
  <p>"You go have your fun. I’ll stay in," she heard him say behind her. Her shoulders slumped, though she had expected this to be his response.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She caught his reflection in the mirror and drew a weary sigh at the sight of him sitting on the armchair, brows furrowed in concentration, and deeply engrossed on his tablet. Any time he was on it meant only one thing. <em>Of course he was working.</em></p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Babe, put that away," she demanded with her hand on her hip.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>This caught his attention, and he peered at her through his reading glasses. "And why ever should I do that?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She rolled her eyes. "Because it’s Saturday night. And I know whatever it is you’re doing isn’t important because you usually take care of that during the week."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I’m just organizing some of this past week’s case files—"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Exactly. Not important." She stepped forward and caught him by surprise when she took the device from his hands before tossing it aside, where it landed on the bed.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Before he could object, she sat across his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. His frown slightly diminished, until he caught the pout on her lips and the puppy-eyes expression on her face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, no. Don’t you give me that look."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Mi amor, <em>please</em>," she begged. She hated the idea of him spending the evening alone working while she was out having fun. "I don’t want to leave you here all alone."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Luz, I’m a grown man. I promise you I will be perfectly fine all by myself."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He watched her face twist into a conspiratorial smile, and his shoulders shook as he grumbled a low chuckle "You think you’ll get your way?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You have a soft spot for me. I think I’ll be able to convince you..."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He couldn’t deny her words. This woman had a great effect on him more than he wanted to admit. Getting out of his shell was still new to him, and that was something he was learning to do with her by his side.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her hold on him tightened, and she inched her face closer to his. His eyes darted to her open and inviting lips, pulling him in like a vortex. He found himself leaning closer; he certainly didn’t mind this way of convincing him. Her lips brushed his, the featherlight touch causing a flutter in his stomach, before she moved away completely, much to his dismay, to whisper in his ear. "It’ll be an open bar."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He burst into a hearty laugh. "That’s your way of convincing me? You know, your former attempt was working just fine."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, don’t you worry. There’s more where that came from, but," she slipped away and got to her feet to walk over to the closet, "I have somewhere to be...unless?" She grabbed her purse and looked over her shoulder to find his eyes roaming over her rear end.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He shook his head, trying to hide the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I can’t say no to you, can I?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She shrugged, and without a second thought, bent over fully to grab her heels, giving him an eyeful. The low groan he elicited at this only caused her to smile triumphantly. What she didn’t expect was for the sudden spank on that area from his strong, firm hand.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hey!" she retorted and glared with mock annoyance at his looming form, until a small smile broke out, and moved his hand aside to smooth the sting.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don’t ‘<em>hey</em>’ me, you knew exactly what you were doing. Now move aside, please, I need to get ready."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She held back the excited shriek she wanted to emit and allowed him space to search for an outfit. He settled for jeans and a gray polo shirt, leaving the buttons undone. She sat on the edge of the bed, cross-legged, as he dressed, enjoying the sight of his bicep muscles stretching the fabric of his shirt, which she was pretty sure he was aware of as they flexed under her gaze.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Quit ogling or we’ll be late," he interrupted her daze, walking past her to grab his wallet.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Aw! Looks like someone’s eager to get their karaoke on!" She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>His lips formed a straight line, though inwardly enjoyed the exuberant smile on her beautiful face. "No, I’m just punctual. Now come on."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She laughed and looped her arm through his as they left the apartment. "Oh, by the way, did I mention it’s 2000s-themed night? As requested by the birthday girl," her voice trailed off as he bellowed a loud guttural groan.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>This was going to be a <em>long</em> night.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The colorful lights flashed all around the bar, the nostalgic pop tunes blared, and the group blinked in surprise at the doctor on Luz’s arm.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Dr. Ramsey?!" Elijah shouted in their direction as they approached.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Sienna nudged his shoulder with her elbow before a radiating smile broke out on her face. "Dr. Ramsey! Luz! I’m so glad you two could make it!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Of course, girl. You know we wouldn’t miss it! Happy birthday!" Luz wrapped her in a hug and placed her gift with the others on the table.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Happy birthday, Dr. Trinh." Ethan gave her a firm handshake.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Thank you so much! Please get comfortable and enjoy yourselves! Drinks are on the house."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Luz thanked her, while Ethan gave her a thankful nod. After greeting everyone else, Ethan bent down to speak into Luz’s ear over the loud music. "I’ll get us drinks. Lord knows I’m going to need about a dozen."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, don’t be such a spoilsport. Relax, babe. Have fun. I know you have it in you." She winked, to which he shook his head and slipped from her grasp to head over to the bar.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yo, Beltrán!" The familiar voice belonging to Bryce called out as he made his way to her with a drink in his hand.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hey, Bryce! How’s it going?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Pretty wild, if you ask me." He grinned, running a hand over his slick hair. "Man, Ramsey’s <em>whipped</em> for you. As far as I know he avoids this place like the plague on karaoke nights."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She looked back to where Ethan disappeared to, and she felt a flutter course through her when their eyes met. The hint of a smirk played on his lips as he weaved his way through patrons with two drinks in his hands.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Must be," she mumbled, mostly to herself. She was already in deep regarding her feelings for Ethan, and she knew it must have been the same for him if she got him to actually show up to something like this. She knew it was a big deal for him to step out of his comfort zone, and the realization only made the fluttering inside her to multiply. Her smirk mirrored his, and she only broke out of the reverie when Bryce’s voice rang out again.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, girl. You’re whipped too, aren’t you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She turned back around, smiling sheepishly as Bryce’s eyes darted between her and Ethan, the smiles on their faces so evident every time they were around each other. To see Dr. Ramsey this happy was something so unfamiliar to Bryce, and he secretly thanked Luz for making him less scarier than he was before.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Have fun, you two." He shot her a wink and left them to themselves when Ethan came to stand beside her with her drink.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The night went on. Mostly everyone had had a turn belting out their favorite jams. Luz felt immediately transported back to her middle and high school years with every song that blared. She couldn’t help but join in on the singing and moving her body to the beat.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ethan watched with a smile on his face at the pure joy on hers. He didn’t even attempt to hide it. He knew it wasn’t the effects of the alcohol, it was all due to her. There was no one who could bring a smile to his face the way Luz did.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Bryce and Elijah unleashed their inner Shakira to <em>Hips Don't Lie. </em>Aurora, Jackie, and Baz let out their soul to Mariah’s <em>We Belong Together</em>, and after Sienna finished her passionate rendition of Jesse McCartney’s <em>Beautiful Soul</em>, Luz immediately got to her feet and bolted for the stage. She perused through the catalog, and as soon as she had her song picked out, she grabbed the microphone.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The intro to Dashboard Confessional’s <em>Stolen </em>began, and just like that, she felt 14 again. Ethan sat back, transfixed as she crooned the ballad. She couldn’t help meet his eyes at the chorus.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"<em>You have stolen my heart</em>," she sang, discreetly flicking her eyes over to him. It was the perfect romantic, cheesy moment between them both. Ethan couldn’t care less about the song, except for the way she sang those words.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The song soon ended, and she went back to sit beside him. "How’d I do?" she asked him, intertwining their hands, and looking out at the stage as Sienna and Danny began a duet.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You should sing more often," he answered, taking a long sip of his whiskey.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her eyebrows shot up at the compliment. "I don’t think you understand the implications of what you just said. Because, Mister, I will, and you’ll come to regret you ever spoke those words."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He looked down at her startled expression that slowly morphed into a look that soon had him realizing it was no jest. "We’ll come to a compromise."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What compromise?" She shifted closer to him, wanting to be near enough to smell his bewitching aftershave.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I can’t disclose that at the moment. We’re in public."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He nonchalantly had another sip of his drink, meanwhile Luz’s curiosity piqued at the suggestion. "What—"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Before she could complete her sentence, Ines’s voice interrupted her. "Come on, you two, go up and do a duet! All the couples had a turn, there’s only one missing!" She gestured at them both to come forward.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Luz looked to Ethan, who tensed for a moment, until she squeezed his hand. She knew he was the last person who’d ever agree to such a thing. "It’s all right, Ines, we’ll sit this one out."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He couldn’t miss the tinge of disappointment in her voice as she gave Ines the excuse. And his own frown deepened that she would be missing out on something that she found enjoyment in.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>What the hell, what’s the worst that could happen?</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Surely, the alcohol in his system was doing a miraculous job of convincing him to do this. But when he looked down at Luz’s face, he knew he would be doing this for her. For them. He didn’t want to miss out on anything with her, even if that meant getting up on that stage to sing some annoying song with her. As long as it brought a smile to her face, that was enough to push away any of his own fears.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He shot back the last of his drink, and before Ines could walk away, he got up from his seat, taking Luz’s hand in his. Her eyes widened as he led them across the room. "Who are you, and what have you done to Ethan Jonah Ramsey?" she questioned and tugged on his arm when he wouldn’t answer her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We’re singing."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I repeat, who are you and w—"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He silenced her with a kiss to her lips. She let out a quiet moan as his tongue parted them. The taste of whiskey on his tongue invigorated her senses, and their lips separated too soon as he continued pulling her along with him.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Once Sienna and Danny finished their song, the sudden roar of cheers chanting Ethan and Luz’s names rang around the bar. She remained stunned, staring at his broad back, until he turned around. "I pick the song." She shook her head, her mouth agape, unable to comprehend his sudden eagerness to participate. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, going through the endless list of songs on the laptop, searching for a specific one.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Are you ser... Ethan..." she stammered, unable to shake the surprise. "I’m just flabbergasted you even care about this... do you blame me?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I know. I’m as surprised as you are, trust me. But I want you to have fun. And besides, everyone’s plastered. They’ll hardly remember any of this."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You wanna bet they won’t?" She bit back a laugh.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"...No."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He went back to searching through the ‘k’ names. "Ah-ha. There we are," he announced, pointing at the screen.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She leaned over to look at the song he’d chosen. She was pleasantly surprised that it just so happened to be one of her favorites. "Mr. Brightside by the Killers? Really?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I may have purchased it on iTunes during my med school days."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Purchased it? Oh honey, did no one ever tip you off on the wonder that was Limewire?" She chuckled. He stared blankly and that was enough of an answer for her. "Never mind, nerd. Let’s go."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She took his hand this time and tightened her grip when she felt the slight shiver of it. "We don’t have to," she reminded him, but he only shook his head with determination.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We’re doing this."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She nodded reluctantly, and they grabbed the mics from the stand. The music began, and the words appeared on the screen, though she didn’t need them as she remembered every word. Ethan eyes flicked between the screen and her, he could remember some words, but was internally grateful for the assistance for the most part.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Luz sang with her heart out, never letting go of his hand. Ethan, on the other hand, remained stiff, hardly singing the words, instead speaking them in a barely audible monotonous tone. Despite his lack of stage presence, everyone got into the music. The stunned expressions soon disappeared, and they joined in singing along with them. Ethan’s nerves eased tremendously at that, especially having Luz by his side.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her presence beside him gave him that bit of courage, and by the end of it, he found himself finding some enjoyment from it. He could now see why it was a fun activity for some people. Would he be up to doing it again? Absolutely <em>not</em>.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>...maybe.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Depending on how drunk he was.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>But for now, he let go of his fears and let himself and the woman beside him enjoy this moment. Because god knows how long it’d be until he did this again.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Once the song ended, the cheers and applause reverberated around the room. Luz gave a bow, and Ethan gave an awkward nod of his head. She panted, grabbing another drink for her parched throat. "That... was... so... much... fun!" She flopped down on the seat, draping her legs across his lap when he sat down next to her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I’m happy you enjoyed it."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I love you."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He met her eyes, his own softening under her gaze. "I love you too." He bent down to give her a chaste kiss.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Seriously, you didn’t have to do that. Sing with me, I mean."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"But I wanted to. Believe it or not, I’m not completely austere. This is a whole side of me I’ve only been able to discover because of you."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You know I love you no matter what."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>They exchanged a gentle smile, and she lay her head on his shoulder. Her exhaustion soon took over, and she let her eyes close for a second.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>When she opened them again, she found herself lying on their bed with his arm draped over her waist. The time indicated that it was three in the morning. The last thing she remembered was the feeling of his broad shoulder against her face. Was her recollection stemming from a vivid dream? She frowned at the thought. But as if on cue, the fatigue and muscle aches of an oncoming hangover took over, and she realized it hadn’t been a dream. Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to Ethan’s forehead and sunk back into the pillow. Tonight would be a night she wouldn’t soon forget.</p>
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